EMILY's List Endorses Colleen Hanabusa in Hawaii's First Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest financial resource for women candidates, today announced its endorsement of Colleen Hanabusa for Hawaii's first congressional district.

"Colleen Hanabusa is a strong and dynamic leader in the Hawaii state legislature and a great choice to fill the seat of Congressman Neil Abercrombie," said Ellen R. Malcolm, president of EMILY's List. "Her dedication to public service and experience as a labor attorney, community organizer, and legislative leader is second to none. In office, Colleen has not hesitated to take strong stands to protect the rights of women, children, and working families. EMILY's List is proud to support Colleen Hanabusa in her campaign for U.S. Congress."

Hanabusa was first elected to the Hawaii state Senate in 1998 and her leadership attracted attention from EMILY's List's Political Opportunity Program. From 2003-2007, she served as the Senate Majority Leader, before being elected the first woman president of the Senate -- making her the first Asian American woman to preside over a state legislative chamber in the United States.

In the state senate, Hanabusa has fought to require insurance companies to cover birth control, guarantee access to emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault, protect the rights of workers to organize, and to secure funding for schools to strengthen infrastructure and meet the needs of disabled students. Widely viewed as a leader of uncompromising integrity and skill, in 2003 she was named one of Hawaii's "top ten political power brokers" along with the state's governor and two U.S. senators, by Hawaii Business magazine.

"I am thrilled to have earned the support of EMILY's List," said Hanabusa. "With their help I am confident I will be able to continue my fight for Hawaii's women and families as member of Congress."

In the 2007-2008 cycle, EMILY's List raised more than $43 million to support its mission of recruiting and supporting women candidates, helping them build strong campaigns, and mobilizing women voters to turn out and vote. EMILY's List and its members directly contributed more than $9 million to EMILY's List candidates for federal and gubernatorial office. With more than 100,000 members across the country, EMILY's List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY’s List has worked to elect 80 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 15 to the U.S. Senate, nine governors, and hundreds of women to the state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and other key local offices.